1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a modularly constructed electrophotographic printing device with a support device, having a transporting device on which a substrate to be imprinted can be conveyed between a start and a finish position, wherein several electrophotographic units can be arranged on the support device between the start and finish positions, which are embodied as a photo conductor, a developer unit, an exposure unit and the like.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A printing device of this type is known from European Patent Reference EP-B-0 932 851. With this known printing device, the units required for the printing process are arranged behind each other in a definite sequence, beginning at the start position in the direction toward the finish position. The units are designed for a particular printing program with defined individual processes, such as charging, character generation, developing, exposure, recharging and the like, and the transfer of the print image in the form of a toner image to a movable print carrier, which can also be a substrate which is moved on a further transport device occurs in the finish position. The transport device with the electrophotographic units is used only for receiving the toner image and for transporting the same into the transfer zone.
A known printing device requires considerable expenses in transport devices. Furthermore, the printing device cannot be adjusted to different printing processes, nor easily provided with further units, also in a different sequence, between the start and finish positions.
Further printing devices are known, which are designed for definite printing processes, or wherein the electrophotographic units themselves can be interconnected, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,612. The structure of the printing device can also be provided without a connection to the transport device with lined-up units, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,582 and Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 2000, no. 06, Sep. 22, 2002 and Japanese Patent Reference JP 200 08 1827 A (Canon Inc.) dated Mar. 21, 2002. A flexible and universal adaptation of the printing device to various printing processes is not possible there.